I notice members mention that they would not pay upfront except for covering materials, but how are materials cost calculated? Example, if I'm requesting Timascus on my blade should it be 500? According to Alpha knife supply the billets are under 500 but what about the rest of the knife, how is that calculated? I appreciate any insight or experience.
https://www.alphaknifesupply.com/shop/product/timascus-billets
It's not about paying up front or not. Customers need to do their research.
There are many legitimate makers tha charge full price up front. But they aren't telling people it's 2-5 years for the knife to be made.
Personally, when your turn is up I take full payment. I don't take full payment until I start building your knife, but I only work on 1-2 knives at a time. I'm also completely upfront with build updates and what I'm doing. I've never had an issue and I know other legitimate makers that haven't either, because we do what we say and keep communications open.
I take payment in full because I build each custom for the user specifications, I won't sale a knife to someone that is built for another person. My knives start at $3k and I have a list 20 yeas long, I'm not wasting my time building a knife specifically for someone for them to change their mind and then force me to sell it to someone else it's not meant for.
I'm writing this to give you guys a different perspective from a makers point of view. Guys like phantom steelworks are ruining it for the knifemaking community. It's not business but I've heard similar issues with this guy where he has owed someone a know a knife for over 2 years with empty promises.
Here is the proper way to do it: when I made my midtech I knew I was going to deal with a midtech company so I didn't completely control everything. With that in mind I paid for the production out of my own pocket, I did a small preorder partial payment and I was so worried about that that I posted updates and sent emails weekly to everyone. Never missed one email response. I forward every communication I had with the midtech company to anyone that asked about update.
During that time I heard so many people worried because of all the bad preorders experience they had, it took me so much time and effort to communicate but it was my responsibility to do so. I have a real career, family and personal obligation on top of my knife making hobby. Not once was an excuse made to not communicate, because it was easier to answer a question then make an excuse.
I delivered the knives 2 months ahead of schedule.
I know a lot of makers like this, you can trust them. But you have to do your research and talk to other reputable makers. It takes one email to ask if you can trust a maker rather then lose your money. The first place to start is bladeforums, it's the best knife community in the world and only honest makers make it here.